Sports
Sports Development
Underpinning all of our community development and education work is the commitment to providing good quality sports development programmes and progression routes. Over the past fifteen years we have strengthened this area of work and now have a strong team of officers and coaches who have the expertise and knowledge to develop sporting opportunities in Tennis, Netball and Basketball.
However Football remains our core sporting activity and we currently provide a number of progression routes stemming from our schools, after school and holiday programmes. This includes providing regular inter school and inter area football tournaments, girls only secondary school leagues in Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest and at least 20 teams from the age of seven through to adult, many of whom are from our estates and area based programmes, player development centres and the Centre of Excellence for both boys and girls. We also provide coaching for school district teams and work with Havering College in delivering a football academy.
football development programme
Underpinning much of the work that LOCSP do is the football development programme that has grown over the years to provide playing opportunities to young people from grassroots to Centre of Excellence level. The football development programme works with both boys and girls aged from 5 to 19 years old.
LOCSP provide playing opportunities for a range of abilities from beginners upwards through community based training sessions leading to competition in leagues and tournaments for schools and clubs alike. LOCSP also support and develop teams that play in leagues across the local area.
LOCSP youth development programme pyramid
Referring to the pyramid above, it can be seen that players attending the grassroots sessions that LOCSP organise may be invited to attend the Player Development Centres in Walthamstow, Loughton and Bishops Stortford. Players attending any of LOCSP sessions may be selected for the LOASS FC* sides that LOCSP has links with at any time, even after the initial team trials that usually take place each year in the month of April.
(*LOASS has competitive teams at under 8 to under 11 levels that play on Saturday mornings, whilst the under 12 to under 16 teams play on Sunday mornings).
It is important to remember that all players develop at different rates and some players will take longer than others to develop either technically or physically. Therefore, while some players may reach the standard to progress onto the Centre of Excellence level, others will remain at the Player Development Centre for an extended period of time. However, there will always be a place for any young footballer within the Youth Development Pyramid at LOCSP.
Girls and Women's football development
LOCSP provide football opportunities for girls aged 6 to 16 from grassroots to Centre of Excellence level. Whilst there are ‘girls only’ sessions being held in Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets and Epping girls should not feel excluded from attending any of the mini-kicker, super skills or estate – based football sessions.
Girls centre for excellence and player development centres
Based at SCORE, the Leyton Orient Centre of Excellence is licensed by the FA to provide talented girls with the opportunity to develop their football abilities. The Centre caters for u10, u12, u14 and u16 players. The success of the programme is reflected by the fact that several players have gained international recognition in the last few years.
Whilst some players do not go on to play at Centre of Excellence level, they may attend either of the Player Development Centres based in Mile End or at SCORE. Indeed, a Player Development team has been set-up under the LOASS banner and plans have been made to establish more LOASS teams to cover other age groups.
leyton orient ladies football club
Whilst many players progress from the Centre of Excellence and Player Development Centres to play for the senior women’s teams, players aged over 16 are always invited to trial for Leyton Orient Ladies FC. The first team currently plays in the South East Combination League and training is held at SCORE in Leyton on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
For more information on Girls and Women’s football, please contact Ross Embleton, LOCSP Football Development Manager on 020 8556 5973.
Disability football training
Young footballers with special needs are invited to attend the football coaching sessions that take place every Saturday from 10.45am – 12pm at Leyton 6th Form College, Essex Road, Leyton E10. A nominal fee is charged for each session. A pan-disability football team called Forest Challengers has evolved from these sessions and they compete with other teams on a regular basis.
Adults with learning disabilities are encouraged to attend the football training sessions that LOCSP run in conjunction with Waltham Forest MENCAP every Wednesday morning from 10.30am – 12.30pm.
NETBALL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Island Netball Club
Island NC has been running successfully for 6 years and has both senior and junior sections. Based at George Green School on the Isle of Dogs, the club now has 3 senior teams and 1 junior squad. Training is held every Monday evening, with the Junior squad (players in school years 3 to 8) training George Green School from 5 – 6pm whilst the adults (players aged 14 plus) train from 6.30 – 8pm.
Netball at SCORE
Netball coaching is available on Tuesday evenings at SCORE in Leyton from 5 – 6pm for juniors and 6 – 7pm for adults. These ‘turn-up and play’ sessions are currently well attended, and it is envisaged that as the year progresses social netball leagues will start at SCORE to give those attending the training the sessions a chance to improve their match play awareness.
For more information on the Netball Development Programme please call Pamela Craig, LOCSP Sports Development Officer on 020 8556 5973.
Tennis development programme
Based at SCORE, tennis coaching for young people takes place every Monday evening for 4.30pm onwards. There is also coaching at SCORE for adults every Sunday morning from 10am, and for adults looking to play competitively SCORE Tennis Club meets every Wednesday evening form 7pm.
Basketball development programme
In addition to the several estate-based basketball coaching sessions that take place, several basketball sessions are held at SCORE in Leyton:
For more information on the Basketball Development Programme please call Paul McKenzie, LOCSP Basketball Development Officer on 020 8556 5973.
Holiday Activities
In addition to the regular coaching timetable, extra courses and events are held during the school breaks.
Football Fun Weeks
For young people aged 5 to 14 ‘Football Fun weeks’ are held during the school holidays with the majority running from 10 am to 3 pm. Participants attending for the full week at these all day sessions receive a certificate of attendance and a prize. Football Association qualified coaches who have received training in first aid and child protection issues staff the sessions.
The sessions are structured so that each child is placed in a group suitable to their age and ability. For the first 2 hours the players (whilst in their groups) move around a series of skills ‘stations’ that are set-up by the coaching staff – skills include dribbling and turning, passing, control and shooting. Each coach adapts their ‘station’ to meet the needs of the particular group.
The players then rest for an hour during a supervised lunch break (the children have to bring a packed lunch with them), before taking part in a weeklong ‘World Cup’ tournament each afternoon. Other competitions also take place in the afternoons, such as seeing who has the fastest shot and who is the best penalty taker. Medals/trophies are given to the winners of the competitions.
Venues where the football courses are held include:
Drapers Field, corner of Temple Mills Lane and Leyton High Road, Leyton, E10
Kelmscott Leisure Centre, Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, E17
**Please call Kelmscott Leisure Centre 020 8520 7464 to reserve a place on these courses**
Jubilee Sports Ground, The Avenue, Highams Park, E4
Parmiters Sports Ground, Nelson Road, Chingford, E4
Peter May Sports Centre, Wadham Road, Walthamstow, E17
Roding Valley Astro-turf, Alderton Hill, Loughton
Salisbury Hall Playing Fields, Walthamstow Avenue, Walthamstow, E17
SCORE, 100 Oliver Road, Leyton, E10
Other Sports Activities at the Score
In addition to football, sports courses that take place at SCORE during the school holidays include basketball camps, tennis camps and the ‘Fun Factory’ – a day packed with various sports, learning new skills and participation in tournaments throughout the day.
Medals and certificates are given out at the end of all these courses.
